The Dream Keeper and Other Poems by Langston Hughes, illustrated by Brian Pinkney.
Originally published in 1932 by Alfred A. Knopf, my edition Scholastic, New York, 1994.
Poetry collection, 84 pages.
Lexile: 1150L .
AR Level: Not leveled.
Langston Hughes’ own selection and arrangement of his poems for young readers.
It’s books like this one that especially point out the lie that early literary education is not able to be diverse. Although my particular version was published in the early 90s, this book has been around since 1932!
The book opens with an introductory essay by Lee Bennett Hopkins, which succinctly summarizes the key points of Hughes’ life. It is skippable, but does add valuable context for those who choose to read it.
As is my custom, I will say a little bit about each segment of the book, although I won’t go into every single poem.
The eleven poems of Dream Keeper were among my favorites in the book. Many nature poems, thoughts of dreams and fairies, and a generally hopeful slant, although it ended on a poignant note about friendship.
Sea Charm was a change and the eleven poems in this section were more realistic and sometimes darker. “Oh, withered old woman / Of rue Fontaine, / Nobody but death / will kiss you again.” page 23
Dressed Up is the longest section, and the fifteen poems found here mostly revolve around dancing and music. It also has an introductory note explaining the specific format of blues songs which is used in five of the poems, and how it differs from spirituals. I could see specials using parts of this for music class or a gym unit on dance in coordination with the school librarian or classroom teachers – especially in April for National Poetry Month.
In particular, the poem “Song” from this section made me feel some kind of way, reflecting on how almost 100 years have passed since it was written, yet it still reflects our world far too well.
Many (but not all) of the eight poems in Feet o’ Jesus have some reference to prayer or the Lord. One of the longer and less religious poems from this section, “Lullaby (For a Black Mother)” has since been made into a board book. Although this section is short, it’s also powerful.
Walkers With the Dawn – the fourteen poems in this section include many well known, and several have been made into picture books. The Negro Speaks of Rivers and I, Too are ones we own, but I believe others exist also. If Mother to Son is not, it ought to be! I also wish Shane Evans would make Youth into a board book. It’s his images I picture in my head when reading that poem out loud.
The illustrations in this edition, though, are done by the capable Brian Pinkney in his signature scratch style. Sometimes one or two poems are opposite a full page illustration, but more often there are smaller illustrations amongst the poems. Every two page spread has at least one picture.
Pinkney has a good sense of how the book will be formatted, whether through collaboration with the publisher or just his own innate sense of the rhythm of the text. He adjusts the format slightly for each section, but also provides a sense of continuity through the book. While the wordplay remains center stage, Pinkney plays an important role in making this a smoother, more interesting read for young people.
My particular edition has a final section of poetry called Additional Poems. Although the poems in it are good, I didn’t love this addition. Walkers with the Dawn ended the collection on a very strong note and had a specific arc. Continuing with this smattering of random poems just broke the focus of the book. I also am a bit of a purist and cynical about Scholastic and feel like they should have respected Hughes’ arrangement of his work but probably just wanted to be able to hold the copyright longer and more securely.
On the other hand, the Personal Note by Augusta Baker at the end is interesting and useful for those who choose to read it. I rarely mind that kind of addition which adds value but is skippable – it’s when changes alter the feel of the book or the presumed intent of the author that they become irritating.
There are some references to romance and to racism. The word negro is used, and at one point an older woman is called a hag. Gay is used in the older meaning – lighthearted, carefree, or full of mirth. Modern kids may need this explained, but it’s a good real-life example of how words can change over time.
Hughes refers to slavery and lynching, and some poems speak of death or hardship or heartbreak. One cautions a toddler playing in the road to get out before he dies run over by a truck. Another about a sailor’s tattoos mentions him smoking. Many other poems speak of magic, hope, empowerment, and love. I think 4th grade is probably as low as I’d go for a whole class or small group read, although it certainly might be appropriate for individual children at a younger age. I’ve given it to my own children younger than that. This is also one of those rare books which would also work for teens or even adult reading – there’s definitely enough in this collection for older readers who’d like a short book of poems.
Although this is a slim volume, poetry is often the genre that takes me longest to read (hence why it is so infrequently reviewed on this blog). It probably took me an equivalent amount of time to read and reflect on one section of this book as it does to twice read and then review a middle grade novel.
Eventually, D and I decided to read this together in a slow, reflective way. It took us almost a year to read the 66 poems and three informative nonfiction pieces, yet the experience was incredibly meaningful. If you have the time and ability, I’d suggest reading one or two poems out loud with children daily, and reflect on them together. Hughes is a classic poet who ages well, and this collection is a good mixture of tough truths and hopeful dreams.
Recommended.
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